Ripple
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Because the stone was cast; a ripple formed. Because the ripple formed, the water stirred. Because the water stirred, events changed. For want of change these events ended differently then they were ordained. Fate was denied; destiny defied. All because of that single stone, because of a simple ripple across space and time, two hearts came together. NarutoxHinata! NaruxHina!
1. Ripple

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. I'm fresh out of ANOTHER surgery-hurts like hell!-and I managed to put this up here at points between the forced anesthetic. Bad news is I still have more surgeries ahead. Still, I'm feeling a bit better now. Really. ****I'm hanging tough though, having just come out of my first surgery...with two more to go! UUUUUGH! I'm on painkillers almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But I'm hanging tough, despite having a small heart attack the other day. God, that was NOT fun!**

**Anywho...here it is. ****Thank you all for you support, and here's hoping I make it through the rest of my surgeries! *Raises glass in a toast* Long live Fanfiction! Hopefully I'll at least live long enuff to writ some more stuff! And just in case my health goes south...I hope you enjoy my works for all time! That aside, I was inspired to write something fluffy this time...hope I got everyone's character right!**

_"Kami above...what have I done?"_

_~?_

**Ripple**

_"I'LL TAKE YOU OUT FOR RAMEN IF YOU WIN!"_

Hinata Hyuuga balked a moment as those words rang across the preliminary arena, her pale face registering nothing, not even surprise. Even her challenger was momentarily taken aback by the sheer vehemence held behind those words, wondering at the meaning behind them. Try as he might Neji simply couldnt make sense of them. Uzumaki Naruto had been relatively quiet for quite some time now; he'd though himself all but rid of the boy's incessant encouragement towards his failure of a cousin.

Apparently, he'd been wrong. No amount of words or empty promises could possibly hope to prevent her imminent defeat at his hands.

"What a foolish suggestion." the older boy scofffed, his gaze slipping from his cousin, those peerless pearl orb nows narrowing upon the outspoken blonde. "No matter what you say or do, you cannot hope to change the outcome of this battle." A brief glance at his flagging kin, still eerily silent. "Fate has already ordained me the victor. It is not within your power to change any-

_...thing?"_

The words wheezed out of him in a rush; precious oxygen expunged from his lungs as Hinata's knee found his stomach in a very un-Hyuugalike maneuver. Her cousin barely had time to register the blow before another rocked his world. Stars spangled, before his vision as the violent backhand cracked across his face, the open-handed Jyuuken nearly numbing him with its intensity. In a way he was amost-almost!-grateful for that blow in and of itself; it finally put some distance between him and his reinvigorated sibling, allowing him to regain his bearings and finally launch an offensive strike of his own.

She batted it aside as though it were nothing, pressing the attack not giving him a chance to retaliate.

Back on the balcony, Naruto hooted heartily.

"That's the way!" the young jicnhuuriki roared his approval, doubtlessly pleased that his words had taken the desired effect. "Kick his ass, Hinata!"

A dark knot of rage blossomed deep within Neji's chest; no, this wasn't possible! How could Hinata, meek, shy, _gentle _Hinata be doing this. To him, of all people! Mere moments ago it had been _he _who'd had her on the ropes, half of her tenketsu blocked or otherwise sealed; the fight should be in his favor!

_'So how?! How is it that she..._

THRUCK. The dark-haired lass dashed forward and drove a fist devoid of chakra deep into her cousin's gut, doubling him over.

_..is doing..._

BLAM! An uppercut caught the aspiring Hyuuga's jaw with full force, snapping his head back.

_...this much..._

CRUNCH. The young girl's thrust-kick smashed into the older boy's face, crushing capillaries.

_...damage?!_

Neji reeled beneath the incessant onslaught; unable to do anything more than defend-nay, whenever he tried to attack he found himself beset by this strange new form of hers! Alternating between the brutish taijutsu's taught in the Academy, the more elegant Jyuuken, coupled with something else he couldn't even begin to recognize, she was litterally beating him blacks and blue. Neji supposed it was a small mercy that the proctor hadn't yet interfered

"You can't do anything!" he roared around a mouthful of blood. "A dead-last can't change _anything!"_

There was a silence, his words seemed sank deep into Hinata, her shoulders slumping under the weight of his voice.

And then.

And _then._

Suddenly, and without warning, she whipped her wrists-an impossibly fast movement-at her opponent's head. Neji somehow managed to get one arm up in time to attempt a haphazard block, but the younger Hyuuga blew right through him-swatting the limb aside as though it were made of paper mashe. And then, it was over. There was no exchange of blows, no grinding of teeth or unspoken threats. There was simply her fist and his face, her clenched knuckles ruthlessly barreling into his baffled visage to shatter hise nose like fine porcelain.

_'But that's...impossible..._

The poor boy, prodigy though he might be, simply couldn't take his cousin's punch. There was too much power-of all the things!-packed behind that strike, anymore, and it might've been downright lethal. As it were he couldn't feel his face anymore, and he had the distinct impression that last blow had shattered his jaw. Then the sweet black of sleep took him.

The arrowing crack of a body hitting the stone signalled the end of the match...

...alongside Neji's ideas of fate.

"Winner: Hyuuga Hinata!" Hayate's arm as was up almost before the count was even over.

"Well, that was to be expected. "Kakashi sighed. "After what you said."

Naruto blinked.

"Huh? Whaddya mean?"

"You went and got her blood up, that's what I mean." the jonin pointed out simply, giving an eerie eye-smile as unnerving as it was unpleasant. "Granted, I wasn't expecting a reversal like that but still...that's why you don't undersetimate the fairer sex. They're just full of surprises." his lone eye swiveled to observe the young heir, her face beaming with the pride of her accomplishment, muted only by her own fidgeting beneath what little praise she received from Shino and Kurenai.

Good for her.

"So...you mean she went and won because of what I said?" Naruto asked at last, eyes squinted and brow pinching in concentration, the expression made him appear oddly foxlike.

"Something like that, yes."

"...guess I gotta treat her then." the blonde grinned sheepishly, it was the least he could do. "Man, I hope she likes ramen...

"I'm thinking she'll like the date, more." Sakura replied impishly.

"D-Date?!" Naruto swung around to face their teacher. "Kakashi-sensei, what's she talkin' about?!"

The mercurial jonin merely chuckled and returned to the pervy pages of his book, leaving the boy to wonder at what he had wrought.

Atop the balcony, Kurenai gawped at her now victorious student, simultaneously torn between a smile and a frown. Where had that come from? Unbidden, her gaze fell upon the one responsible for this unlikely victory; the plucky genin shouting congrats for all he was worth. Meanwhile Hinata's ascent up the stairwell still had yet to begin, she remained crouched by her cousin, dutifully watching as the branch member was carted from the room by the medics. She asked them to wait pausing to speaking to him as he regained consciousness. Whatever was said went unnoticed by the other genin, but not by Kurenai.

Certainly not by Neji.

Hinata allowed the medics to take her cousin then, slow and steadily, she began to ascend the stairs. In so many ways it was as if she were transcending the limits that had been placed upon her, starting to shed all the doubts and fears that had weighed her down over the years. Just a little, but it was a start. And her sensei had never been more proud.

"I can't believe that just happened."

All because of one shout...

* * *

_(Five minutes earlier...)_

Uzumaki Naruto wracked his brain, trying his utmost to find a solution for the seemingly singlehanded slaughter below. The problem? Hinata was losing to her cousin, Neji. Badly. Naruto liked most people. He didn't try to label them as good or evil at a glance; the thirteen-year old genin liked to give them the benefit of the doubt at first and more often than not he had. But Neji...was an exception. A right stuck up, arrogant prick, he was. Too steeped in bitterness to ever see the error of his ways. Unless someone made him.

He'd tried all manner of encouragement unto this endeavor; shouting at her with all his might...but nothing seemed to be working! Someone like Neji didn't deserve to win! What he _deserved _was an asskicking! But try though he might, he simply couldn't get Hinata to realize the power was within _her _to succeed. That and he wanted to see that scornful bastard eat his own words about fate this and fate that! In the end,his anger and desperation simply got the better of young Naruto.

So it is said; a gesture is worth a thousand words. Or in this case, nine. He didn't even think of the repercussions-unkowing of her crush upon him-or even of the rammifications of such an action. He simply sucked in a deep breath and exhaled it out in a mighty shout of:

_"I'LL TAKE YOU OUT FOR RAMEN IF YOU WIN!"_

He couldn't tell from up here, but he thought he saw a glint in her eye just then.

Sakura-chan's groan was far more pronounced; so too was her facepalm.

"Baka, now look what you went and did...

"Huh?" Naruto frowned at her. "I just want to see her win...

"Looks like you're about to get your wish." the pinkette raised a finger and pointed.

"EH?!"

What followed was nothing short of a onesided beating, the match reversing abruptly in Hinata's favor. He'd never seen someone go down so fast or so _painfully_ for that matter. That didn't make it any less satisfying to watch, though. Smug bastard got what he deserved, and then some! Still, he found it hard to believe this had all come about because of one shout on his part. One tiny ripple, unbeknownst to him, that would change a great deal more than the outcome of the preliminaries. Hard to believe Hinata had that kinda strength...

"Ah! G-gomen nasai! I wasn't looking where I was going, N-Naruto-kun...!" Before Naruto could say anything, he was broken from his reverie, hearing that same soft, nervous voice, desperately apologising to him. The blond blinked, realizing she had to come this way to make it to her team.

"Hey," he started awkwardly, suddenly overcome with embarassment himself. "You did...pretty good back there."

Hinata turned red, her cheeks burning at his praise.

"Th-Thank you." she managed with only the slightest of stutters. Silence stretched between them after that.

"I mean you totally kicked his ass!" His exuberance suddenly returned with a vengeance, trumpeting itself for half the genin to hear. "Totally wasn't expecting that! Now you're in the finals! That's awesome!" Yet agains she squirmed beneath his praise, but not uncomfortably so.

"Hai...I'm looking forward to it...

"So...about the ramen...if yer not doing anything tomorrow...

If she'd been red before, now Hinata was positively _pink._

"I-I'd like that very much!"

"Yeah, sure." the hell was he flushing fer?! It was just Hinata!

She was gone before he could think to say anything else, thankfully returning to her mentor's side before he had a chance to make an ass of himself. Naruto daren't turn to look at Kakashi; he'd find no help there, that much he already knew. Sakura was even worse, he didn't even want to _think _of what she might give for advice.

"Enjoy your ramen, Naruto!" Ino teased from across the way, drawing a frown from her fellow-and very much confused-blonde in the proccess

"I WILL!" Naruto answered, scowling. What the hell was she on about?! He'd just wanted that jerk to go down!

But now, he had another problem.

He had to make good on his promise; and he never went back on his word. And yet for the first time, he found himself...nervous? What? No! Naruto shook himself, dispelling such thoughts. He didn't get nervous! Those weren't his thoughts! He was just making good on a promise, that was his ninja way!

Naruto would find himself honoring much more than a promise in the coming days...

**A/N: I can't believe I actually wrote this. The idea came to me while I was at work; I had just read a story in which Neji was still his very, very VERY nasty pre-exams self, and the idea got me to thinking, what would've happened had Hinata soundly defeated him? Add to this the fact that I've kinda been ignoring our favorite little Hyuuga in the last few stories I've written and well...Well, this short little ficlet is what came out of it; the changes that follow this victory may be subtle at first, but will soon be all but be massive in scope! Hope you enjoy the NaruxHina to come!**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? **

**R&R! =D**


	2. Complications

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. I'm fresh out of ANOTHER surgery-hurts like hell!-and I managed to put this up here at points between the forced anesthetic. Bad news is I still have more surgeries ahead. Still, I'm feeling a bit better now. Really. ****I'm hanging tough though, having just come out of my first surgery...with two more to go! UUUUUGH! I'm on painkillers almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But I'm hanging tough, despite having a small heart attack the other day. God, that was NOT fun!**

**Anywho...here it is. ****Thank you all for you support, and here's hoping I make it through the rest of my surgeries! *Raises glass in a toast* Long live Fanfiction! Hopefully I'll at least live long enuff to writ some more stuff! And just in case my health goes south...I hope you enjoy my works for all time! That aside, I was inspired to write something fluffy this time...hope I got everyone's character right!**

_"Kid, you are MINE for the next month..._

_~?_

**Complications**

Hinata could barely believe her luck. In the same vein, she also cursed it.

Because the slips had since been drawn; the matches ended and the date set. Approximately one month from today the finals would be held. A month to recover for some. For others-to train. As if that would be enough time to make any sort of difference in one weak as her-no! The young heiress swiftly slammed the lid on that horrid line of thought. I mustn't think like that! She'd sworn to try her best, and the best was what she must give if she was to make any sort of permanent change in herself. Naruto's words had given her the will to win against an opponent she'd had no business in defeating...and yet, here she stood, listening to the Hokage in reverent silence as he explained the third and final portion of the exams.

They were all here: herself and Naruto-kun, Uchiha Sasuke, Shikamaru, her teammate Shino, the contemptible trio from Sunagakure and finally the stranged hunched man from Sound. The nine of them would compete in the coming days before the Damiyo, Kage, and other lords to decided who amongst them deserved the honor of chunin.

One by one they were called, the pairings given, the matchups made.

Suddenly that same effort, the desire to change, to become someone better-braver, smarter, stronger-now made Hinata want to weep. Of all the ill luck! She willed the tears not to show even after they were dismissed, the hot water on her eyes stayed only by the knowledge that it would make her seem like an easy target to the other contestants.

There, in the first round.

She had to fight Naruto-kun. Fight him. Hurt him. And if she knew her father's wishes, _defeat_ him. Hiashi Hyuuga would settle for nothing less; he'd probably want to supervise her training himself. Just the thought of it was enough to invoke an ache deep in her bones; a deep-seated reminder of her childhood; of just what manner of tutelage that would entail. It wasn't teaching then and it certainly wouldn't be now. Having techniques all but beaten into her body, and the bruises every night, the bruises...stop! With an effort she shook them away, forcing herself to stand strong and steadfast.

_No._

She knew enough of the Hyuuga secret techniques already; until now she had simply lacked the will to use them effectively in combat. The absolute last thing she wanted was to rexperience them firsthand. She'd much rather train under Kurenai-sensei than be made subject to another _kaiten_ from her father or worse. She would master them on her own...surely it couldn't be that hard? Time and time again she told herself this even as the Hokage finished his speech and dismissed them to go their respective ways for the next month.

Unthinking, she turned to do just that, when-

"You should give up."

Hinata started, horrified to find herself the object of a certain redhead's attentions. Sabaku no Gaara stood no less than a foot away, his green gaze reflecting her terrified expression, the fear she felt as she recalled the brutal beating of Rock Lee. The boy butcherer himself seemed to take no pleasure in her despair, those jade orbs remained blank for the moments. Almost...empty. As though he were simply a husk, an unfufilled vessel when he wasn't slaughtering his opponents. Hollow.

"E-Excuse me?"

The boy peered back at her with those eerie, dead eyes.

"You are weak." he replied blandly. "Mother will not enjoy your blood."

_Run run run!_ Her very soul screamed at her to get the hell away from this awful creature before he did to _her_ what he'd done to Rock Lee. This was no boy, her mind gibbered. This was a beast! A-A...monster who lived solely to kill and nothing else! To stand next to him was insane, to fight him was suicide. And yet despite that, Hinata did not waver. Instead she stood her ground, glared unflinchingly into the eyes of the redhead...and _hissed, _expelling the sound with such anger and vehemence that her would-be-killer actually flinched aside.

For a moment he actually felt a flickr of fear from Mother...

"I am not afraid of you." there was such steel in her tone it took him aback, made himself think she was someone else. Aways behind, Kankuro and Temari balked at the scene. Gaara never flinched. From anything. Not since he...well, not ever! For him to do so now, against a girl who was ordinarily a stammering wreck, was nothing short of incredible...

"I will not run away." the words were spilling out of Hinata's mouth before she could even think to take them back-not that she'd ever do. "If I muar face you in the final exam then so be it. But do not think for one instant that you can intimidate me."

There was a silence as Gaara seemed to soak in her words. Finally, a spark of interest was born in the form of a small, sinister smile.

"Interesting," he mused. "It seems I was mistaken. I will enjoy killing you, Hyuuga." Something in those words sent Hinata hurtling over the edge. She stepped closer, bringing herself eye to eye with the boy. This time Gaara didn't back down. Neither did Hinata. Even without the Byakugan she could sense his sand, feel those tiny grains swirling threateningly at the edges of her feet for her trespass. But she refused to falter. Forehead to forehead she refused to flinch, or even blink,

"I invite you to try." her words were soft, almost sweet, but there could be no mistaking the challenge in them.

Gaara grinned at her; there it was again, that gleam in his eyes. Still smiling, he backed down. This time.

...I shall." he relented.

"She's crazy." Kankuro muttered to himself. Temari was inclined to agree. No one challenged Gaara and survived! That Rock Lee kid had been damned lucky to have his sensei intervene; she had the distinct feeling this Hyuuga girl wouldn't have the same luck. The poor girl didn't know what she was getting into. But far be it from her to stand between Gaara and this so-called "existence" of his. She was rather fond of _not_ being a gory smear on the wall, thank-you-very-much!

"Let's go." Gaara rumbled with one last glance at his prey, slightly intrigued by the pale daggers she glared at him. Where had this willpower come from? It made him curious. And, more often than not when he became curious, he wanted to kill. But that would have to wait. For now."I look forward to testing my purpose against your own, Hyuuga."

"..."

His statement given, the genin strode away with his siblings, leaving Hinata to stew in her fury. It was only when grusesome genin was finally escorted out of the preliminary arena that the fears finally set in, when she realized the enormity of her actions. She'd hissed! Hissed! At any enemy shinobi! And he'd threatened to...to...to...

_Kill me...?!_

Shivering, the young heiress forced those images away. Lee-san was many times stronger than her, and Gaara had _destroyed _him. That blood-soaked sand, crushing his limb to a fine pulp...shattering the bones...! The very idea of facing such a foe was enough to make her knees knock together. Thankfully she was broken from more morose thoughts once she sensed the familiar prescence of an old friend. She almost had the urge to flee before he reached her, his dark sunglasses betraying him with a glint of light. But then she remembered her victory over Neji, her refusal to run. She wouldn't run away, anymore. Not from Gaara, not from Naruto-kun, and certainly not from...

"Sh-Shino?"

"A moment, if I may, Hinata?" The stoic boy asked in a quiet voice that still managed to travel quite easily. He seemed almost _amused_ by her earlier outburst. At this, the Hyuuga shrank into herself. She couldn't bring any form of anger to bear upon her comrade. It simply wasn't her way.

"You're not going to tell me to give up too, are you?" her voice sounded older to her somehow, almost weary even; that burst of fury had drained her in more ways than one.

"Assuredly not," Shino replied, his nearly flat voice laced with a mild reproof. "I simply have an...inquiry for you. Why, you ask? Because you are no longer smiling."

Hinata nodded meekly. The Aburame had always been exceedingly blunt.

"I'm...I'm just tired of everyone telling me what I can and can't do." she admitted, smiling when she recalled her triumph over Neji. "I...won't run away from myself anymore. Never again."

Shino locked eyes with his despondent teammate, confident that his assumption was accurate.

"You are concerned for the finals, correct?"

Hinata's smile vanished in a blink, and Shino decided that yes, as usual, he was correct.

"Is it as I suspected?" Shino asked with a sigh. "You do not wish to fight Naruto?" The words hit her heart like a kunai.

"No, its just...I don't want to hurt him."

"Then don't." came the immediate reply.

_"Nani?"_

Her teammate adjusted his glasses discreetly and for a moment, she could've sworn she saw a sly smile behind the collar of his jacket. "Victory is but a single way to prosper at the exams. You could fight Naruto a draw and both emerge as a Chunin_...if you have but the skill."_

Before she could ask what she meant, the object of her affections decided to make himself known.

"Hey, you guys okay over here?"

Hinata started as Naruto's voice called out to her, inadvertantly dashing her sorrow against a sleeve. When she turned to face Shino her teammate was already gone, having departed with the others. As such the visage she brought to bear wasn't exactly the best; her eyes were only slightly less red and puffy as opposed to the unabashed waterworks that might've been seen otherwise.

Naruto frowned.

"Um...are you alright?"

"J-Just nerves, I guess." she said, silently cursing herself for both the stutter and the lie.

"Oh," his expression faltered a bit, uncertain and unsure. "I saw that freaky redhead talkin' to ya, and then you started shouting, so I was kinda worried...

_'Naruto-kun was worried? About me?'_

Hinata gulped softly, terribly horribly, aware of the heat in her cheeks. If she fainted now she'd never forgive herself. She'd surprised herself with that brash boldness back there; for a moment, had felt as if she were a completely different person. Not the shy, stumbling little girl she'd always been. It was a change. A difference; a ripple that in another time wouldn't have ocurred for at least three years. Little did she know that Naruto had sparked the beginnings of a change in her, a metamorphosis that one day would one day transform her into the head of the Hyuuga. But for now she was just a girl, taking her first faltering steps into adolescence a bit at a time; she would reflect on such things later.

Thus emboldened, she managed to speak to her crush for the first time without that horrid stutter.

"So...are you going to start training right away?"

Naruto frowned at that.

"I dunno," he squinted, the expression making him look like a fox. "After something like that, I'll need to train twice as hard if I'm gonna stand a chance against you! That or a really awesome sensei?" Just like that, he was already lost in his musings. "Wonder if he'll teach me the Raikiri...

Hinata blinked, baffled; he'd lost her after the first sentence. "You think...I'm stronger than _you?"_

"Well, yeah!" Her crush chuckled wyrly, completely unaware of the confidence that even now he continued to inspire in her. "You were a blur back there when you took out Neji-teme! My taijutsu's nothing like that! But hey, is that why you're upset? That you beat him down like that?" In the face of her puzzled silence he simply ploughed on. "I mean, that's nothing to cry about! The asshole deserved what he got." Hinata thought back to what she'd said to Neji, words spoken in anger just before the medics had taken him away.

_"Fate has nothing to do with whether you win or lose; you make your own destiny!"_

Naruto-kun would've said the exact same thing, she realized. Perhaps it was time she took her own advice.

"Th-Then I wish you luck...

He grinned that megawatt grin of his, the same smile that always sent her heart aflutter.

"Let's do our best, then! I'm sure one of us'll kick the teme's ass."

Those words gave her hope; and she smiled in turn, spirits similarly bolstered. Thus encouraged, Hinata reluctantly relayed what Shino had told her.

"Huh." Naruto seemd to think on that a bit. "So basically, what glasses-Shino's nickname-meant is that we don't _have _to fight each other?" Oddly enough a small part of him rejoiced at the knowledge. It felt funny, that tiny thought. But why? He tried to reason it out; Hinata was nice and he didn't want to hurt her...right? After all, she was one of the few-if not only-kunoichi that didn't give him the stink eye whenever he passed within spitting distance of them. He'd always thought her a bit shy and meek until today. After that fight...he wasn't quite sure what to think. Hinata had shown a side of herself he'd never seen before, and then the way she'd all but bitten Gaara's head off when he tried to threaten her...

...was actually kinda cool.

Maybe taking her out for ramen tomorrow wouldn't be so bad after all. Was it so wrong that he was even looking forward to it, now?

And so another ripple was made.

"Um...so about tomorrow," Naruto began weakly, not knowing quite how to pose the question. "Erm, that is to say...

Hinata said nothing, she simply waited for him to continue. How odd that _he _was the one at a loss for words this time.

...when do you wanna go out?"

At the mention of their date Hinata nearly fainted on the spot! She felt rather than saw the room swoon around her, all the blood in her body simultaneously rushing to her head

"T-Tomorrow at seven would be nice...

"Great!" Once more, Naruto found himself flushing. "Sounds good. Yeah. Awesome. Okay. I...should probably stop talking now."

Hinata actually giggled at this; when was the last time she had laughed? Not since she was a little girl-not since her mother had died. Certainly not since her father had disowned her in favor of Hanabi. Come to think of it, she'd only started smiling after Kurenai-sensei took her under her wing. Even then, she hadn't laughed. Not once. Not until this very moment.

"Yo, Naruto!" Kakashi called, waving lazily. "Come over here for a minute!"

To the boy's credit, he actually wanted to stay and talk, but Kakashi knew his weakness.

"There's a jutsu I want to teach you!"

"COMING!"

And away he went!

Hinata almost sighed as the blonde all but burst into motion; Naruto-kun could be very sweet, but he was also easily predictable. Nevertheless, she loved him. And she had a date! Tomorrow! With him! It was all she could do not to skip back to the balcony as she rejoined her sensei

"Hold it, chibi."

Hinata froze as a hand clamped down upon her shoulders, the coolness of that palm halting her, cutting deep through the thick fabric of her jacket. The hazel eyes of Mitarashi Anko peered down at her, twinkling with amusement. A snake of dread knotted in her gut-she'd later look back on the irony of those words and laugh-one she stubbornly suppressed. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected the trenchcoat clad kunoichi to approach her let alone extend an offer to her.

"W-Was there something you wanted, Anko-sensei?"

"What're your plans for the next month?"

Hinata faltered, unsure. What _were_ her plans indeed? Her father was a negative; she'd rather master the Katien and Sixty-Four palms on her own. That left...!

"I-I was going to ask Kurenai-sensei to train me-

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

_"Eeep!"_

The tokubetsu jonin simply smiled at the girl's squeak.

"Calm down." she soothed before continuing.

"Genjutsu isn't going to help you win a match. Don't get me wrong, Kurenai-chan's a helluva teacher. But lets be honest with each other, it'll take more than cheap illusions and mind-games to impress the crowds. And lets face it kid, after that asskicking back there, I could probably show you a thing or two. Maybe even improve your chances against your boyfriend over over there." She jerked a thumb haphazardly in Naruto's genral direction and earned herself a confused stare for the effort. Boyfriend what now?

_B-B-B-Boyfriend?!_

Hinated fainted almost immediately; steam spouted from her ears!

"Hey, easy there!" Ano barked, catching her. "Don't go fainting on me before we start!"

"When I'm through with you, you'll be beating shinobi back with a stick! They won't be able to get enough of you!"

"But I only want to be with Naruto-kun...

"Well, too bad!"

The special jonin broke out in mad, triumphant cackling, savoring the look of pure terror/horror that crushed the girl's hopes. It was always best to break someone down before you built them back up; made for a solid foundation to work with. And for all her spunk, Hyuuga Hinata was anything but solid. Not yet. But she soon would, if Mitarashi Anko had anything to say about it! What she lacked in will-power she more than made up for in sheer spunk; anyone who could take apart Hyuuga Neji in close combat and _then_ shout down a mass murderer like Sabaku no Gaara was her kind of student! Who knew maybe she could help her go after her old sensei someday...

Hinata, however, couldn't help but gulp and wonder if this was as good an idea. The imposing jonin had always struck her as eccentric, but this...would this really make her stronger for Naruto-kun?

"I-I'll doo whatever you say!"

Impossibly, Anko's grin grew even larger.

"Glad you see things my way."

"So when do we-

-start?" the purplette finished for her, grinning. "Right. Now."

"Wha-

"All right maggot!" She screamed at her, nearly scaring the poor girl half-to-death. "I've got thirty days to whip you into shape and I'm not wasting a minute! We're going on a twenty mile run right now, and kami help you if you don't keep up with me! Hop to it now! You heard me! Back into the forest! On the double! Ohhhh, this is going to be so much fun~!"

"Good luck, Hinata!" Naruto barely managed to shout before she was ushered out of the room by the crazed woman. "Kick some ass!"

"H-Hai!" His encouragement alone made it the most beautiful and wonderful experience of her young life, a defining point that changed her very existence.

Suddenly, Hinata wasn't sure whether she wanted to win or lose the exam!

* * *

"Whaaaaaaaa?"

Naruto nearly facepalmed when he realized there would be no new jutsu; Kakashi had just used that as an excuse to lure him away from Hinata! By the time he'd realized this terrible 'truth' it had already been too late; Anko had already spirited his new friend away, leaving only a promisary note to "release" her from her obligations in time for their date to tomorrow. WHY WAS EVERYONE CALLING IT THAT?! He'd conveyed as much to Kakashi-sensei once he'd shouted his final encouragements seeing as Ino and Sakura had each lost their match and were being tended to by the medics, but the man remained unruffled.

"Mah," his silver-haired sensei waved those concerns away. "What matters is that the two of you enjoy yourselves."

"We're only thirtheen!" Naruto shrieked.

"Ah, but young love is so tender~!"

"You took that from the book, didn't you." the boy's deadpann was barely concealed.

"I did not." Kakashi lied flawlessly through his mask, immediately snapping his precious perverted possession shut. "But regardless, I think you deserve a reward for making it this far on your own." Technically untrue it might be-although with Sasuke having handily won the first match against that chakra-draining weirdo and his mark since sealed-albeit temporarily-they were the only two members of Team Seven remaining. Surely, it couldn't hurt to teach the boy something? Such an action would've been harmless in nearly any other vein but this; little did the infamous Copycat know that his actions here today would have far-reaching consequences the world over.

"Really?!"

"Yes, really." came the calm reply. "I'll teach you one jutsu of your choice. But only one, so choose wisely!"

"Then...teach me the Raikiri!"

Kakashi considered it a moment. Well, he did promise the boy he could pick one...

"Fine." the cycolpean shinobi sighed, not thinking the matter through as he should have. "Tell you what, if you can produce a spark, I'll teach you the Chidori. Its a lesser version, one that might be better suited to your needs," _And something you have no chance of using,_ he added silently. But Naruto didn't need to know that now, did he? Better for him to learn a lower ranking Earth or Wind Jutsu-something that didn't run the risk of getting Minato's boy killed during a clash. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to him.

"Seriously?!"

"Hai hai, now here are the signs; once you've performed them, try channeling chakra to the palm of your hand. The key is focus. You have to be completely calm. Don't let your emotions get the better of you." Odd, he almost wanted the boy to succeed in this; he could've easily stopped talking long ago. "Lightning is a fickle element, you have to be very precise...

Naruto coudly barely hear his sensei now; having drawn himself too far inward. Calm thoughts. Happy thoughts. What made him feel calm? Not Sasuke! He dismissed his teammate without a second thought, searching for that inner peace he so readily lacked. What made him happy? Sakura did, but that image was also associated with the crushing despair of rejection. Damnit, what made him happy?! Unbidden, an unexpected image flickered to his mind, pale cheeks lit in a rosy red blush...

Hinata...?

He felt it then, a raw tingle of power shooting up and down his arm, leaving his hair standing on end.

"Hey, I've got a spark!"

Kakashi nearly fell off the balcony!

"Let me see that!"

"See?" Naruto held up his palm, delicately balancing the tiniest of electrical discharges there. "So you'll teach me now, right? I mean-whoa!" his words ended in a sharp gasp as Kakashi grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked upwards.

Seizing his student by the shoulder, he shushined him back to the village. So the boy had some aptitude for _Raiton._ Interesting. Surely it couldn't hurt to teach him the bare basics of that jutsu...then leave the boy to his own devices with Ebisu. It wasn't as if one jutsu could change anything, and besides, Naruto lacked the blistering speed and the reflexes to wield the Thousand Birds to its truest potential. He'd probably give up on that technique and move onto better and brighter things. Right?

How wrong he was...

* * *

**A/N: I can't believe I actually wrote this. The idea came to me while I was at work; I had just read a story in which Neji was still his very, very VERY nasty pre-exams self, and the idea got me to thinking, what would've happened had Hinata soundly defeated him? Add to this the fact that I've kinda been ignoring our favorite little Hyuuga in the last few stories I've written and well...Well, this short little ficlet is what came out of it; the changes that follow this victory may be subtle at first, but will soon be all but be massive in scope! Hope you enjoy the NaruxHina to come!**

**We get to see the D-D-D-Date next chapter!**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? And of course, enjoy the Preview!**

**(Preview)**

_Hinata felt herself _swoon_ as her beloved blond pulled away; but for once, she didn't faint. Perhaps it had something to do with Anko-sensei, the woman had pounded an abyssal amount of knowledge into her brain over the last twenty-four hours, spouting swears that would've had even the Hokage running for cover. Maybe that was why she'd managed to hold on as long as she had; listening dutifully as her childhood crush detailed a series of events beginning with Kakashi, following through with someone he called Closet-pervert, and finally ending with a fellow named Ero-senin._

_Granted, he hadn't gone into detail on his training but then again neither had she. __But that was neither here nor now. Here in this instant, there was only Naruto-kun. His lips. Hers. For the span of two beats the world simply ceased to be. Then he pulled away, and the moment was lost._

_"Well?" he muttered, unable to meet her gaze. "S-Say something! Look I'm sorry if I surprised you, alright?" He was rambling now, lost in his own words. "I didn't mean ta kiss ya, it just happened-_

_She didn't dare speak; not trusting her mouth to form coherent syllables. Part of her was still convinced that this was a dream. So instead, she glommed him for all she was worth and prayed that she wouldn't wake up not now or ever!_

_"Don't be sorry." she whispered ferverently. "Please don't be sorry."_

_This time, just this once, Hinata Hyuuga didn't faint._

_Oh, the still world swam dangerously in and out of focus, but somehow, someway, she managed to hold herself together. For once, those whiskered cheeks of his stood even brighter than her own, whether from his own embarassment or something else, she wasn't certain. She knew only that her childhood crush had just k-k-kissed her, his lips gracing hers for the slightest of seconds and it had felt wonderful and wait why was he kissing her again -_

_"Oh, how adorable!" Ayame's squeal broke the moment entirely. That did it._

_Hinata was unconcsious before she even struck the ground. The last thing she heard was Naruto's _

_"Oi, Hinata?!"_

**R&R! =D**


	3. Of Frogs and Fireworks

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. I'm fresh out of ANOTHER surgery-hurts like hell!-and I managed to put this up here at points between the forced anesthetic. Bad news is I still have more surgeries ahead. Still, I'm feeling a bit better now. Really. ****I'm hanging tough though, having just come out of my first surgery...with two more to go! UUUUUGH! I'm on painkillers almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But I'm hanging tough, despite having a small heart attack the other day. God, that was NOT fun!**

**Anywho...here it is. ****Thank you all for you support, and here's hoping I make it through the rest of my surgeries! *Raises glass in a toast* Long live Fanfiction! Hopefully I'll at least live long enuff to writ some more stuff! And just in case my health goes south...I hope you enjoy my works for all time! That aside, I was inspired to write something fluffy this time...hope I got everyone's character right! ****!**

**Enjoy!**

_"The shyest flower blooms the loudest...!"_

_~?_

**Of Frogs and Fireworks**

As it turned out, Naruto did not learn the Chidori. Not at first. Instead, he discovered something new. Something...

_Better._

That stray spark from before? It wasn't a Raikiri, or even a Chidori anymore.

After only a single afternoon of practice it had become almost an entire cloak! A veritable shroud of lightning-based chakra covering him from head to toe in a wild aura of electrical discharges. _Yeees_ it tended to sputter and fizz out in places and his control over it wasn't anywhere near where he wanted it to be, but it was a start! Something he could build upon!

Granted, it was somewhat **draining** to maintain and he couldn't sustain it for more than five minutes at most without sacrificing part of it, even with his superhuman reserves, but that didn't matter! What mattered was that he'd created something new, a Technique not even Kakashi knew! One he couldn't copy! Not only had his speed been enhanced tenfold, but his strength was amplified as well-as evidence by the small craters lining the training grounds in pockmared dents. He wasn't quite up to par with a weightless Rock Lee, not with those awesome gates of his, but it was a marked improvement compared to his sluggish speed before.

And did he mention the strength?! He could punch godamned holes in the ground! What wasn't cool about that?!

It had been hell getting it to work at first, and without thinking, he'd fallen back on shadow clones for target practice. That was when he found it. A secret of the Kage Bunshin that had never been told to him. Damned things shared memories! Whatever they learned, he learned! The only downside was the fatigue...boy was he feeling that now. They'd been at it long before the sun had rose, now it was just beginning to set in the sky overhead. But had Naruto asked for any breaks? Had he complained? Hell no! He was so grateful that his sensei was _finally _paying attention to him that he could've trained all day -and likely would have- were it not for the limits of of his own body.

A grin grew on his whiskered cheeks as another such clone vanished, searing its hours of experience into his head like a burning band in the back of his mind.

Whenever one dispelled, all its chakra and memories retruned to him! Haha! That'd give Sasuke one hell of a surprise a month from now!f He had no idea what he was missing! Though the man was _technicall_y tutoring both of them, a marked part of that time had been spent with the last Uchiha-probably because he felt the boy needed it. Obviously Sasuke was going to need it going up against someone like Gaara in the, but Naruto? Naruto felt like third wheel. Or at least he had until he'd invented this jutsu! It was one of a kind! No one else could do this!

_No one!_

* * *

Half a continent away, the Raikage suddenly sneezed, sending a mountain of paperwork flying from his desk. Odd.

He could've sworn someone was talking about him...?

* * *

Back in Konoha, Naruto had no such qualms.

"Again!" his sensei commanded, beckoning with a deceptively empty hand. "Attack me with intent to kill!"

"You bet!"

Hollering, Naruto channeled as much chakra as he could into his legs and launched himself forward...

...only to be knocked flat on his ass an instant later.

"Ow!"

"Very good, Naruto." Kakashi nodded as he pulled his headband back down, a modicum of approval breaking across his masked face. "You're getting the hang of it. I actually had to use my Sharingan that time." It had been a rather novel experience all things considered, splitting himself between two students. Instead of focusing solely on Sasuke as he would've originally-thereby pushing Naruto off on Ebisu instead-he'd forsaken his slacker tendencies and devoted himself to both boys. Ah, the miracle of shadow clones. Still, even with the bunshins aiding him, Naruto's growth had proved nothing short of amazing.

Now, anyone without a healing factor would've suffered greatly as they cooked under their own chakra. Not Naruto. The irony of it all was that his unwilling tenant actually prevented such happenstance; even with that malicious Five Prong Seal applied-unbeknownst to Kakashi-enough chakra was still leaking through his coils to effectively offset any damage he might've incurred from his cloak of lightning.

"Hehehehe! I'm gonna kick ass in the exams with this!"

"Unless," Kakashi interrupted, as was often his wont, "You overdo it."

"Yeah, I guess my control could be better." Naruto replied primly. "It'd probably be easier if I didn't have this damned seal on me, either."

"That is no way to speak about the Yondaime's-

"Not the Fourth's, you dolt!" Naruto snapped back, glowering. "I'm talking about the one the snake bastard put on me!"

"Snake...bastard?"

"Yeah," the blond continued quickly, crossing both arms behind his head. "Some freak slapped it on my stomach during second half of the exam."

Kakashi quickly put two and two together. Konoha only had one "snake bastard" as Naruto so bluntly put it. Said bastard had abdicate the village long ago-only to return and make an attempt on Sasuke during the very preliminaries themselves. In hindsight, it wasn't very difficult to put two and two together. If Orochimaru had put one of those seals on Naruto...

"And where exactly did he place this seal?"

"On my stomach. Why?"

"And has this seal been bothering you...?"

"Not really." the blonde's face scrunched up in confusion as he dropped the cloak. "Its just screwing up my chakra control. I'm sure I'd be able to do better if I didn't have this damn thing on me..

Relief flooded Kakashi.

"Wait here." he said, before vanishing in a body flicker. Naruto did just that. Imagine his surprise when he returned with an even older man-if such a thing were possible-someone who looked to be in his late forties. As if that exceptionally long hair didn't give him away. What's more, the man seemed to recognize him somehow. Odd.

"This him?"

"Hai, Jiraiya-sama."

"Oi, kid." the whitehead instructed. "Lift up your shirt."

Naruto frowned, uncompliant.

"Who the hell're you?"

"Naruto, don't be rude." Kakashi admonished him with a light tap on the head. "This is Jiraiya-sama. He's one of the sanin-

"Then why did I see him peeping on the woman's bath this morning?" the boy's tone was like glacial ice; he wasn't interested in the slightest.

"Research, gaki." the man replied, a tick mark appearing on his forehead as he fished a familiar orange book out of his pocket. "I am a famous author! I have to get my rocks...erm, inspiration somehow!"

"AHA!" Naruto screamed, thrusting a finger at him! "i get it now! You write those dirty novels Kakashi-sensei is always reading, don't you?!"

Kakashi's smile was silent but deadly. "Ara, and how would _you_ know about what I've been reading?"

Abruptly, the boy colored.

"Well, I got curious, so I may have borrowed one...

"Hypocrite." Jiraiya snickered. "Ah well, that's not what I'm here for." Before Naruto could stop him, he reached down and yanked up the boy's shirt. "There it is." he muttered.

"Oi, what're you-

_"Five Prong Seal Release!"_

Pain exploded in his stomach; not the bone-wrenching agony that had flooded his system before but a rather pleasant ache. As if someone had scratched an itch he didn't know he had. The effect was as immediate as it was pleasing; chakra flooded his veins, all the more welcome after being supressed this entire time. Still, he didn't exactly enjoy it!

"What the hell, Ero-sennin! That hurt!"

_"Ero?! _Now see here you little brat, I am no mere perver! I am a SUPER-

"Mah, mah, don't let him get to you." Kakashi soothed. "Lets see your jutsu now, Naruto. Your control should have improved."

Naruto complied, bringing his chakra-not Kurama's-to the fore, willing it to fuse with the spark that was his affinity-

Deep within the bowels of his stomach, the Kyuubi opened one eye and let a touch of its chakra slip through the seal.

**"Lets see how they like this...**

"Holy-!" Jiraiya stiffened and muffled an expletitive, but Naruto couldn't see what had startled him. Kakashi actually dropped his book. He stood there, baffled by their reactions. What was the big deal?

He hadn't just made some cloak...his body had become lightning itself! His very skin crackled with raw power, the grass smoldering away beneath his feat **(think Naruto's new cloak, just blue)** angry azure energies whipping a small clearing for him across the grounds.

Naruto was ecstatic!

"Whoa!" he grinned, glancing down at himself. "Now _that's_ an improvement." Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. What would happen if he tried _throwing_ the aura? Until now, he'd only used it to exacerbate his punches and kicks while Kakashi worked with him on his taijutsu. He'd improved markedly in that area, but...the idea of launching a lightning jutsu from an arm or leg simply hadn't occurred to him. Frowning, he eyed up a nearby log, considering the implicaitons. It shouldn't be possible-but then again, he'd done the impossible before, hadn't he? With this much energy surely he could...

Grimacing at the strain that exploded in his leg, the blond launched it.

_"Rankyaku!"_** (Storm Leg!)**

The log split right down the middle with ease. Kakashi's look was telling.

_Staaaaaaaare._

Jiraiya grunted, turning aside. "Alright, you've convinced me, Kakashi. The kid _may_ have potential. But I don't see why I have to-

"Ahahaha!" Naruto's triumphant cry ended whatever else the sanin might've said. "I've got it! Look! _Chidori!"_ Both men swung around at the sound of a thousand chirping birds. Sure enough, Naruto held the technique firmly in hand, a sputtering sphere of crackling Raiton energy, barely maintained, but it was undoubtedly there. It lasted only a handful of seconds before it vanished-taking most of his chakra with it-but there could be no denying what they'd just seen. That cloak. The Chidori. It was if he had become the element itself...

"Well," Naruto gasped as he laid hands on his knees, still straining for breath, "How was that?"

Jiraiya's jaw fell clear off his face.

"Don't you have a date to get to?" Kakashi asked suddenly, right eye curving into a smile.

"Aha! I knew it! You just want to talk about that dirty novel of his!"

"But you promised Hinata...

There was a silence. And then...

And _then._

"Oh, fuck!"

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"I did not!" Naruto retorted, spinning away. "Shit! I've got to get over to Ichiraku-

_"Hold it!"_ Jiraiya's hand latched onto his shoulder, reeling him back in. "What's this about a date?" He was looking at the boy with renewed interest, eyes all but sparkling. "Aren't you a little young for that?" Naruto had the strange, sudden urge to sock the old timer right then and there. But he resisted, wresting himself free of the sage's grasp.

"I'll be fourteen in a coupla months! And it is _not_ a date!"

"It certainly is." Kakashi whispered conspirationally in the older man's ear. "And with Hiashi's daughter no less...

"Oho?"

If Jiraiya hadn't been interested before, now he certainly was. A clandestine affair with the Hyuuge heiress? Now that gave him some ideas for his novel...none that he would ever share with the Copycat of course, after all, an artist simply couldn't reveal his canvas now, could he?"

"Hey, kid!"

_"Guh!"_

Naruto had been trying to creep away-difficult to do when you were low on chakra-but at the sound of the sanin's voice, he froze.

"You can't go in that!"

"Can't I?"

Both men simultaneously sighed.

"Hopeless...

* * *

_(Meanwhile...)_

"Not bad, maggot." Mitarashi Anko laughed raucously. "You actually kept up with me!"

Hinata gasped out a weak "thank you" as she flopped to the floor. This was training?! It felt like murder! True to her word, Anko-sensei had made her run twenty laps around the Forest of Death, essentially leaving the girl to rely on her Byakugan or risk becoming a meal for the giant tigers and other creatures that roamed the woods. She'd just finished that final lap only moments before-her chakra was drained to almost nothing and the only thing she could think of was taking a long hot bath followed by tumbling into bed. Sensei's next words put an end to those thoughts.

"Don't you have that date thing with Minato's kid?"

Hinata blinked. Minato? But wasn't that the name of-

"Oh, shit!" Anko seemed to realize her mistake as well; because she immediately colored. "Forget I said anything. Seriously though, you should get going." her hazel gaze strayed to the ho You've got less than five minutes until seven." Hinata jerked up as though she'd been struck by a lightning bolt. Five minutes?! But that wasn't enough time! She needed to take a shower, find a new outfit and-and-and...

"There's not enough time!"

Anko facepalmed, taking pity on the poor girl

"I'll lend ya something."

Hinata turned, grateful for the offer, but...

"Ano...I don't think anything you have would fit me."

"Relax, its one of my old outfits back when I was your age. Hehehe..." Already the tokubetsu jonin was lost in one of her fancies. "Hmm...we'll have to find something that's not too revealing...wouldn't want you to lose your virginity on the first date now would we...?"

Hinata gulped. She had a very bad feeling about this...

Anko merely chuckled.

"Ufufufufu...

* * *

Naruto was still cringing when he finally reached Ichiraku for their date. Yes, a date. Everyone-damn them!-kept calling it that, much to his charign, and the term had stuck. Kakashi and Jiraiya hadn't let him leave their training ground until they deemed him presentable! Unfortunately their idea of presentable entailed no orange. None at all! Instead of his favorite color he found himself trapped in a pair of slacks, and a blue, sleeveless shirt for the warm weather, over whih Jiraiya had insisted-forced!-him to wear a leather jacket. To make matters worse each of were bound with a seal that prevented him from taking them off and slipping back into his favored jumpsuit.

The seals themselves were meant to wear off after an hour...which still didn't explain the other iteam Jiraiya had foisted on him. What the hell was a condom?

"For protection." Jiraiya had said. Protection from what? Crazy old man!

_Troublesome!_

Grumbling about his perverted sensei and their ideas of a "date" he almost didn't notice her until it was too late.

"H-Hello, Naruto-kun...

He whipped around at the sound of that voice, instinctively seeking out ints owner. She wasn't that hard to find. Wow.

_Hinata..._

She'd gone through a few changes herself, he realized belatedly. Gone was the ridiculously heavy jacket. In its place she wore a dark blouse that accentuated her still budding body before tappering off flawlessly into an equally black skirt, stemming down pair of fishnet leggings and black high heels. God, it made him feel underdressed, ya know?! Not to mention the fact that she was wearing makeup. Hinata. Makeup. Sakura? Who the hell was Sakura? All thoughts about his bubblegum beauty were immediately forggoten; he only had eyes for the bluenette standing before him.

In that instant, a single, silent thought snaked through his mind.

_Holy shit. This one might actually be wife material..._

"Come in, come in!" Ayame was suddenly there behind them, ushering the unlikely pair inside. "We've been waiting for the two of you! Honestly, I was beginning to think you were like _that _since you never took anyone out, but here you are! With Hinata-chan no less! Ohhh, I'm so proud of you!"

...erm, you are? I mean, you have?"

"Of course! Your sensei informed us just this morning. We've cleared out the entire place for ya!"

Hinata squeaked in surprise.

Naruto visibly twitched, imagining the Copycat, thumb up, smiling behind that damnable mask. That sneaky bastard! Making things difficult!

_Ka-ka-shi!_

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata blinked, idly wondering why he was scowling.

"Ahahahaha, its nothing...

They took their seats in silence and placed their orders, their food arriving moments later. Neither touched it. An awkward silence seemed to hang between the two of them, neither knowing what to say.

"So...I learned a new jutsu." Naruto started.

Just like that, the ice was broken.

They had been forbidden from discussing their training with one another, but that didn't mean they couldn't talk about their sensei. And Naruto did. He went to great lengths about it! Hinata explained that she thought Anko-sensei was slightly insane, that got him to at least laugh. Conversation came easily after that. Naruto rambled on about Kakashi and how excited he was to have someone teaching him but when he got to Jiraiya he turned oddly sullen. Didn't want some pervert to teach him, he said. Odd, why was he blushing just then? Hinata chose not to press the matter. Rather, there was another question she wished to ask.

"Do you really think we'll become Chunin?"

"Of course!" Naruto enthused.

"Na-r-uto!" Ayame appeared from nowhere to swat at his hand with a spatula. "You can do better than that!"

"Ow!" he yelped, clutching at his injured appendage. "What the hell was that for, Ayame nee-chan?!" Her only response was to huff and vanished back into the kitchen without another word. Frowning, and still rubbing at his hand, Naruto reluctantly returned his attention to Hinata. "Sorry, she's usually not that violent.

Surprisingly, that got a quiet giggle out of her.

"I don't mind...

"Hey! It's my hand she hit, ya know?!

Another laugh. Was it so odd that a small part of him wanted to hear it again? Hinata wasn't a thing like Sakura; for starters she didn't bop him on the head just for speaking his mind. She was patient and _kind_ listening to him whilst the pinkette would've just ignored him. Naruto craved this attention, and the acceptance that came with it. Hianta was more than willing to give it. In fact she did so freely. She quietly heard what he'd had to say and then asked questions of her own. It was a novel experience, all things considered.

...do you really think we have a chance?" she asked again.

Naruto frowned.

"Well, yeah." Remembering Ayame's anger, he quickly continued. "I mean, its like you said; we just need to be smart about it. As long as we're not stupid about it, we both should be able to pass...I guess. Maybe. I'm not too sure, actually..." That was the truth, he was terrified of failing. He _wanted_ this. Wanted to be a chunin more than anything else in the world. Well, almost.

"We can do it."

Once more, Naruto flushed, startled by the vehemence of her statement. Huh? She was encouraging him now?

"W-Well, when you put it like that...

Their conversation continued, but there was a fluidness to it that hadn't been there before. Likes and dislikes were shared, favorite foods were discussed-the kind of questions one would ask a friend, the better by which they might know them. It felt...nice, Hinata thought. Here she was talking with her childhood crush, and the most he'd done was make her blush. She hadn't fainted yet, wasn't even dizzy. It was a monumental step for her on the path to becoming a fine kunoichi. And she loved every moment moment of it. But all good things must end, and their "date" proved no exception.

Almost before she knew it their food was gone, she hadn't been aware that they'd even eaten anything. The hour had grown late; all signs of the sun long since ceased to be with the sky and though the flow of civilians passing by hadn't abated in the slightest, a single glance confirmed the lateness of the day. It was nearing midnight. Had they really been talking that long...?

"Man, that was _goood!"_ Naruto loudly exclaimed that he couldn't eat another bite. Grinning, he pushed his bown back and hopped offthe stool. "So...hope ya liked the ramen! It's gettin' kind late though, guess I'll turn in..."

"W-Wait!"

Naruto paused, regarding her with stoically. It was as if he hung on that very word. On wooden legs, Hinata tugged herself out of the seat after him.

"Yeah?"

_Do it, you fool!_ A small voice hissed in the back of her head. _Kiss him already!_

And with Nauto still obviously mesmerized, Hinata leaned forward and quite softly brushed her lips with his own. Fireworks exploded in her head; his lips were everything she'd thought them to be. Soft yet dry, warm to the touch, and so very inviting. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach but she ruthlessly suppressed them, refusing to falter, to faint while her lips were still touching his. She would not! It took several heart-beats but that seemed to break the spell and the boy leaned away, staring at her with puzzlement.

"Why did you do that?" he asked in a voice that seemed hard to find. This was it. She'd driven herself into a corner. If she didn't say anything he'd think her some strange kind of stalker!

"Because I like you." she whispered. "I...I always have."

"I...

The blonde's brow furrowed in confusion. Like? Him? So many questsions burned in the back of his mind, because those could wait. A strange sensation came over him-it felt as though he'd lost all control of his body. A terrible pounding resounded in his ears, he could hear his own heart beating, feel her breath on his face, his own blood bounding in his veins as he edged forward to meet her.

"I...guess I like you, too."

Perhaps that was why he kissed her back.

_"Mmmph!"_

Hinata felt herself swoon as her beloved blond pulled away; but for once, she didn't faint. Perhaps it had something to do with Anko-sensei, the woman had pounded an abyssal amount of knowledge into her brain over the last twenty-four hours, spouting swears that would've had even the Hokage running for cover. Maybe that was why she'd managed to hold on as long as she had; listening dutifully as her childhood crush detailed a series of events beginning with Kakashi, following through with someone he called Closet-pervert, and finally ending with a fellow named Ero-senin.

Granted, he hadn't gone into detail on his training but then again neither had she. But that was neither here nor now. Here in this instant, there was only Naruto-kun. His lips. Hers. For the span of two beats the world simply ceased to be. Then he pulled away, and the moment was lost.

"Well?" he muttered, unable to meet her gaze. "S-Say something! Look I'm sorry if I surprised you, alright?" He was rambling now, lost in his own words. "I didn't mean ta kiss ya, it just happened-

She didn't dare speak; not trusting her mouth to form coherent syllables. Part of her was still convinced that this was a dream. So instead, she glommed him for all she was worth and prayed that she wouldn't wake up not now or ever!

"Don't be sorry." she whispered ferverently. "Please don't be sorry."

This time, just this once, Hinata Hyuuga didn't faint.

Oh, the still world swam dangerously in and out of focus, but somehow, someway, she managed to hold herself together. For once, those whiskered cheeks of his stood even brighter than her own, whether from his own embarassment or something else, she wasn't certain. She knew only that her childhood crush had just k-k-kissed her, his lips gracing hers for the slightest of seconds and it had felt wonderful and wait why was she kissing him back-

"Oh, how adorable!" Ayame's squeal broke the moment entirely. That did it.

Hinata was about to pass into the realm unconcsiousness when she realized something. Naruto was pitching forward. Naruto had fainted. Not her. It was so very _ironic_ that her beloved blond was the one fainting here instead of her, toppling to the ground like a wet noodle, his legs cut out from under him at the very mention of the word. The last thing he heard was Hinata's cry of:

_"Naruto-kun?!"_

* * *

**A/N: I can't believe I actually wrote this. The idea came to me while I was at work; I had just read a story in which Neji was still his very, very VERY nasty pre-exams self, and the idea got me to thinking, what would've happened had Hinata soundly defeated him? Add to this the fact that I've kinda been ignoring our favorite little Hyuuga in the last few stories I've written and well...Well, this short little ficlet is what came out of it; the changes that follow this victory may be subtle at first, but will soon be all but be massive in scope! Hope you enjoy the NaruxHina to come!**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? And of course, enjoy the Preview! As a sidenote, Naruto will be trained by both Jiraiya AND Kakashi. Hope that closes up any discrepancies.**

**(Preview)**

_Nearly an entire month had passed since the date. Even then the training didn't end._

"Gokkakyu no jutsu!"

_Naruto whispered out of existence just before the fireball would've struck him. Kakashi frowned, sharingan eye tracking with the motion, waiting for the telltale crackle of the lightning cloak. There would only be a mere __moment to react, and he had to use that to his advan-_

_"RASENGAN!"_

_Kakashi was so shocked by the reappearance of Naruto, wielding Minato-sensei's jutsu, that he almost forgot to guard. Air rushed out of him in a mighty whoosh as the spiraling sphere slammed into his stomach; he almost didn't notice it when his back greeted the tree and slammed through it. When had Jiraiya-sama taught it to him?! He'd though the man was teaching the boy to summon toads and control the Kyuubi's chakra, not learning the legendary technique of the Fourth! The irony wasn't lost on him. That had been, without a doubt, the Yondaime's jutsu. The Son was beginning to surpass the father...and his teacher as well._

_"Well?" Naruto grunted, not even slightly out of breath. "How was that?"_

_Kakashi flicked him a weary thumbs up._

_"You're ready."_

**R&R! =D**


End file.
